Rotor energy augmented vehicle

ABSTRACT

A vehicle is constructed with a front rotor or rotating assembly that shields the vehicle from motion induced resistance force to a degree without protruding beyond the sides of the vehicle and without significantly increasing the motion induced resistance force such that the motion induced resistance force to the vehicle drives the front rotor or rotating assembly where upon the resulting extracted rotary energy is coupled through mechanical, fluid or electrical means to vehicle drive wheels or propellers or other energy applications thereby utilizing some energy which would be otherwise lost/dissipated in total and thus significantly reducing the total energy expended to move/operate the vehicle.

CROSS RELATED APPLICATIONS

PROVISIONAL APPLICATION 60/817,141, FILING DATE Jun. 29, 2006

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED DEVELOPMENT

NOT APPLICABLE.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Energy utilization and cost associated with various moving vehicles isbecoming an increasing social/economic and environmental problem. Theaerodynamic/hydrodynamic energy efficiency of transportation vehicleshas not improved significantly in resent times, The proposed inventionis thought to be a significant development and elementary air flowvehicle simulation tests indicate the feasibility and validity of theconcept. The idea of extracting energy from a generated air/medium flowis generally not a practicable process as the input energy is of coursegreater than the output energy however if the input energy is notincreased in the process and the input energy in the flow is to be lostin total then extracting air/medium flow energy can be practicable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A vehicle: truck, bus, car, etc., is designed and constructed such thatthe frontal area is covered or shielded with some type of air rotor andthe resistance air flow against the moving vehicle is in part or intotal directed against the rotor and not against shielded area. The airrotor is designed to rotate with the air flow force against it such thatenergy can be extracted from the air flow which would be other wise becompletely lost without the rotor or if the rotor is not allow torotate/spin. The energy required to drive/move the vehicle isessentially the same with a stationary rotor or without the rotor as therotor area is less than or no larger than the vehicle and shields thevehicles frontal resistance area however the net energy expended is lesswhen the rotor rotates extracting energy from the air flow which wouldotherwise be lost and rotary energy/motion is coupled directly orindirectly to vehicle driving wheels. This extracted and saved air flowderived rotary energy can of course be used for other energy uses.

If desired more than one rotor can be attached or coupled to the frontof the vehicle in a vertical arrangement for improved driver visibility.Rotors can also be constructed or attached in tandem with a smallerdiameter rotor leading a larger diameter rotor for less resistance andimproved efficiency. A squirrel cage type rotor can also be attached tothe front of the vehicle and also coupled to the rear of the vehicle andextract energy from the trailing pressure differential.

A rectangular assembly of air foil slats or wings can also be arrangedon two thin belts between two separated two wheel rotating assemblies,see drawings, FIGS. 9/10.

A marine vessel can also be constructed with a rotor on the submergedbow of the vessel/ship to extract energy from the motion displaced waterthat would otherwise be lost. The water resistance against hull would bedecreased by the shield effect of the rotor and the overall resistancewould not be significantly increased as the rotor frontal resistancearea would be less or no larger than the hull frontal resistance. Thisextracted or generated rotary energy can utilized to reduce thenet/total energy to required to drive the ship by connecting to stempropellers.

An aircraft can also be constructed with a front fuselage shieldingrotor/turbine/fan that is smaller in resistance area than the fuselageitself. More than one rotors/turbines/fans may be arranged in a tandemto form a cone shape for better aerodynamics. The rotor/turbine/fan withan associated appropriate mechanical and or electrical arrangement wouldbe connected to a rear fuselage, tail driving propeller, or otherpropellers, for a net reduction in expended energy.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1, Front view of truck with shrouded, louvered turbine/fan rotorand drive wheels

FIG. 2, Side view of the rotor, automatic transmission, differential anddrive wheel.

FIG. 3, Side view of rotor shroud.

FIG. 4, side view of vehicle with drive rotor and independent drivewheels

FIG. 5, Side view of rotor vehicle with internal power coupling to thevehicle wheels

FIG. 6, Front view of rotor vehicle with squirrel cage type rotor.

FIG. 7, Side view of vehicle with front and rear squirrel cage typerotors with associated drive wheels.

FIG. 8, Front view of vehicle with raised driver cab and rotor.

FIG. 9, Side view of vehicle with dual rectangular rotor assemblies andbelt/chain coupling to each independent front rectangular/rotor drivewheels.

FIG. 10, Front view of dual rectangular rotor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A ROTOR VEHICLE

The front of the vehicle will have a large diameter axial/turbine(windmill type) air rotor FIG. 1,1, FIG. 2,1, FIG. 4, 1, FIG. 5, 1, FIG.8,1 that approximately equals or is a little less than the overall widthof the vehicle frontal area and does not protrude above or below. For ageneral truck/bus this is about eight feet however for current vehicledesigns seven feet will provide better driver visibility. The rotor willhave sixteen, 16, overlapping blades, FIG. 1,2, FIG. 2, 2, FIG. 4,1,FIG. 5,1, FIG. 8,2 that are made of clear ½ inch or more thickplexiglass or clear plastic material and will also have a circularshroud FIG. 3,1. The center axle of the rotor FIG. 2,3 will be connectedto an automatic transmission/gear box FIG. 1,3, FIG. 2,4, FIG. 4, FIG.5. The output drive shaft, FIG. 1,4, FIG. 2,5, FIG. 4, will connect to alower differential FIG. 1,5, FIG. 2,6, The two differential output axlesFIG. 1,6, FIG. 2,7 will connect to two rotor drive wheels FIG. 1,7, FIG.2,8, FIG. 4,2. The axle, wheel connections will allow for horizontal,vertical miss alignment and turning as each rotor drive wheel willconnected to the adjacent main steering wheel and turn in the horizontalplane. The rotor drive wheels will also have vertical movement ability.The rotor drive wheels will be centered in line with the vehicles mainfront wheels FIG. 1,8, FIG. 4, 3 to minimize air flow resistance. Largerdiameter air rotors can be constructed into vehicles if the height ofthe drivers location/position and cab FIG. 8,2 is raised for bettervisibility over and/or around the rotor.

The air rotor vehicle can also be constructed with a squirrel cage typeof air rotor FIG. 6,1, FIG. 7,1 with drive wheels FIG. 7,3, FIG. 7,4,for better driver visibility and in this construction the enclosed rotorend will be made of a clear plastic material or the driver cab itselfcan form and makeup the enclosing end of the rotor. This type of rotorcan also be constructed into or onto the rear trailing end of thevehicle FIG. 7,2 and abstract useful energy from the trailing pressuredifferential. The air rotor vehicle can also be constructed such thatits transmission output is coupled to the vehicles engine or main wheelsFIG. 5, FIG. 6, FIG. 8. If the vehicle is electrically powered or ahybrid, the rotor can drive a generator/alternator. A vehicle, FIG. 9,is shown with a rectangular type of moving assemblies FIG. 9,1. Thefront view of the dual, independent airfoil slats moving assemblies FIG.10, one driving assembly coupled to each independent front wheel shownin FIG. 9.2. Other rotor designs/variations, types, vehicles and vehicleconnections are of course possible.

1. I claim a vehicle with a front fan/turbine/rotor that abstracts flowenergy from vehicle motion generated flow while not significantlyincreasing motion resistance to produce a net or total decrease in theenergy required to generate that vehicle motion from the vehicle withoutsuch front fan/turbine/rotor.
 2. Claim 1, wherein the frontfan/turbine/rotor is replaced with a movable rectangular slat/airfoilassembly.
 3. Claim 1, wherein the vehicle has rear, trailingfan/turbine/rotor or a rear rectangular slat, airfoil assembly thatabstracts surrounding flow energy with no significant vehicledrag/resistance and returns some of the vehicle generated flow energy tothe vehicle.
 4. Claim 1, wherein the vehicle has a raisedoperator/driver/pilot cab such that an operators visual position isabove the fan/turbine/rotor and closer to the top of the total vehiclethan a vehicle without the fan/turbine/rotor or a moving/rotatingrectangular slat/airfoil system.
 5. I claim a vehicle with one or morefans/turbines/rotors that collect and harness energy from vehiclemovement created air flow with no significant increase in vehicle dragor air resistance to movement, to the vehicle without thefans/turbines/rotors.
 6. Claim 5, wherein the fans/turbines/rotors isreplaced with a rectangular series of slats or air foils on drive beltsthat rotate or move between a drive wheel arrangement.
 7. I claim avehicle that embodies a movement created or generated relative flowdriven rotating device with a shielding and smaller resistance area thanthe vehicle itself that reduces the net or total energy required tocreate that movement over the same vehicle without that embodiment. 8.Claim 7, wherein the vehicle embodies a water driven rotor device thatabstracts vehicle generated energy from the relative water flow anddecreases the energy expended to produce the vehicle motion through thewater.
 9. Claim 7, wherein the vehicle is an aircraft with one or morefront fuselage shielding rotors/turbines/fans that connect to one ormore driving propellers.